Nov. 9, 2012

Written by

Robert Allen

A former Loveland teacher and amateur photographer is suspected of sex crimes against a 16-year-old female student, and police seek leads to identify other possible victims featured in photos, according to Loveland Police Department.

Gawain Jay Roberts, 35, of Fort Collins hasn’t been taken into custody, but a warrant is to be issued, police Sgt. Mike Halloran said.

Computers and cell phones were among evidence leading to charges of sexual exploitation of a child and criminal attempt of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, according to a Loveland police news release. He was with Thompson School District for six years and resigned Oct. 24, according to district spokesman Wes Fothergill.

Fothergill said Roberts taught a small group of high school-aged students through the SOARS alternative-education program based at Ferguson High School. He said Roberts was hired in 2006 and passed the school’s background check. A search of Roberts through Colorado court records shows no previous criminal history for him in the state.

The following is from a news release Loveland police issued Friday morning:

“Detectives Brian Koopman and Jeff Pyle are requesting the public’s assistance with identifying further victims related to the criminal activity outlined below.

In mid-October a Loveland Police Department (LPD) School Resource Officer received information that a teacher working for the Thompson School District (TSD) was involved in criminal activity with a sixteen year-old female student. The School Resource Officer gathered the initial information and then called in LPD detectives. The detectives approached TSD administrators with the information. The administrators provided critical assistance to the detectives. That cooperation is on-going as the investigation continues in an attempt to identify any further victims.

Through that investigation, which included interviews and computer forensics, the detectives gathered enough information to seek and obtain search warrants. The detectives are currently in the process of further forensic examinations of computers and cell phones related to the teacher.

The detectives later took the case to the Larimer County District Attorney’s Office. The charges accepted by the District Attorney are:

» One count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Class 3 Felony)» One count of Criminal Attempt (Sex Assault on a Child by one in a Position of Trust) (Class 5 Felony)

The teacher is identified as Gawain Jay Roberts a thirty-five year-old Fort Collins man. Roberts has been employed by the TSD for six years. Anyone with information pertaining to further inappropriate behavior by Gawain Roberts as a teacher within the Thompson School District is asked to call Detective Brian Koopman at 970-962-2248 or Detective Jeff Pyle at 970-962-2274.

On the advice of the Larimer County District Attorney’s Office, we will not be releasing more information so as to not damage the ongoing investigation.”